Posts Tagged: what is the cheapest plastic rod

Which Plastic Sheet or Rod Material is right for me?

This not an easy question to answer. Several different factors come into play when choosing the right plastic for your application. Temperature, strength, exposure to the elements and even time spent at elevated temperatures are just a few factors to consider when choosing the right plastic for a particular project or job.

Picking the right plastic for your application is critical for its success and longevity and needed to insure that the material doesn’t fail in critical situations. From the onset it may take a bit of time to choose the right plastic material, but will ultimately pay off in the long run. Simply choosing the cheapest plastic sheet or rod may spell disaster for your project.

Many plastics are resistant to chemical attacks. Some plastics however are not. Two examples of plastic that have low resistance to chemicals are Acetal or Delrin (Dupont Brand Name) and Nylon. Acetal and Nylon are both a great machining plastics with excellent wear resistance and impact strength. However, when exposed to chlorine or alkaline they tend to become brittle which can cause failure and if used in such instances as plumbing, can lead to major problems such as flooding. Nylon does have good resistance to many chemicals but will degrade when exposed to acids especially sulfuric. A plastic that would work better for applications involving the use of chlorine or acids is UHMW. UHMW has some of the same properties as Acetal such as wear resistance, ease of machining and are both self lubricating. UHMW often is an alternative for Acetal and Nylon, especially when it comes to chemical attacks.

Many plastic sheet and rod materials to choose from

Another plastic that can fail if used in the wrong application is Acrylic. Acrylic is a great plastic for displays and decorative purposes and is a natural replacement for window glass. However, it is brittle and has very low impact strength as opposed to Polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is a great plastic for impact strength, probably the best in the plastic family. It is 25 times stronger than Acrylic and this makes it ideal for bullet resistant glass and riot shields, while Acrylic would be useless for those critical jobs. However, Acrylic has better U.V. resistance than Polycarbonate Plastic Sheet which makes it better for use outdoors over longer periods of time because it is invisible to sunlight. Another plastic that cannot handle U.V. rays is Polypropylene. Polypropylene unlike Acetal has excellent chemical and moisture resistance. However, unlike Acrylic, it becomes brittle in sunlight and starts to craze or crack when exposed over a period of time while Acrylic would last many years longer. Even though Polypropylene is a very rigid and stiff material, with good impact and crack resistance, if exposed to the elements for a period of time, it will not retain its properties and a chemical chain reaction will cause the material to eventually fail. Polypropylene is great at handling chemicals and food applications which neither Acrylic nor Polycarbonate Sheet are well suited because for this application, because they don’t have good chemical resistance and the standard grades are not approved for handling food.

These are just some examples of the differences between plastic resins and it is important to note that just because one plastic works for one application, it may not work for another. All factors must be considered and taken into account, maybe even some trial and error. This will insure that your project will go smoothly and will be able to last through many years of use, saving time, money and patience.

Contact us for more examples of materials and the differences between specific items. Also, we have a great tool to help you in choosing the proper plastic material for your application, check out our free Plastic Material Selector Guide. We would also welcome your email inquiries or call us at: 866-832-9315.Google

Some Of Our Client Reviews

5/5

Frankly, I am blown away! We needed some Delrin rod, and so we started calling around. Most companies I called said ‘they could get it’ or ‘they can order it from back East’. After calling 5 other places I called Industrial Plastic of Anaheim. They had all the materials we needed in the right diameters,…

I had gone to another plastic supply in the area open to the public and was told at the desk it was a $100 minimum, even after speaking with that rep on the phone. Found Industrial Plastic Supply and was very satisfied with my purchase and my experience. Carlos helped me out and was incredibly…

I went to industrial plastic supply the other day to purchase some plastic for a project. Carlos helped me on the floor and was extremely helpful! He really took the time to help me! It was nearing closing time but Carlos didn’t care and still treated me as though I was a customer that came…

Arrived at this plastic wonderland around half an hour before closing time. The employee was really kind and took interest in our project. He asked a few questions to get a better understanding on the best suitable product. Very knowledgeable in the plastics about durability and flexibility. We even were allowed to be shown the…

I called them and worked with one of their reps on a custom project I needed for work. It started with me describing the problem and their rep helped me find the right product, they then sketched out a design for my approval and fabricated at a reasonable price. I am overall happy, the material…

The best will call experience I’ve had. Miguel was great and more than willing to help me find what I needed. He showed me the plastics I had questions about and even show me other plastics that would work for me. I loved that the warehouse was clean and organized. Will defiantly be going back…

I was very impressed with the professionalism and assistance they provided. They have a ton of materials in stock, way more than any other plastic supply house I have visited. The guy at the counter was eager to help, and cut the parts I needed while I waited. Great experience.

Great help and service Needed a window for my store front. I found this place online and got a piece of polycarbonate. It’s very strong and durable and got a good price. The salesman was very helpful. Highly recommend this place.

The only plastic place that does what they say they will do. After years of buying from a variety of plastic places, I have been burned over and over by lots of suppliers. Industrial Plastic is the real deal, and ship stuff to me when they say they will. No issues ever!

Industrial Plastic Supply is a great place to deal with! They are very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. I learn something new about plastics every time I go there. Everyone I’ve dealt with has been great. They don’t mind small orders and have always gotten our orders correct. Carlos has been especially helpful, teaching me about…

Very nice people, and seem to have good knowledge of product. Needed some round stock to make parts, and they had most sizes I need. The size they didn’t have they had to order. Hopefully the stuff will be in soon. Said they would call.

This place is my favorite plastics supplier. They are always very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. I learn more about our options with various materials every time I go. Carlos has been especially helpful. I really appreciate how they go above and beyond to help. Keep up the great work guys!

As a user of plastic materials, I think that Industrial Plastics is the best place to get plastics. I don’t buy a lot, so the fact that they will sell me mechanical plastic rod by the foot is huge. Everyone else wants me to buy a full length. Kevin and Carlos always treat me like…

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